Display apparatus



July 24, 1934. J ER 1,967,843

DI SPLAY APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l S z 26: @213 A? "1 24 9 I IF I d /70 II J] ,5- 26' A L I /z 51: y /A l 8* a. in L9 7 L'- INVENTOR Pall JSwnzZews ATTORNEYS July 24, 1934. J SANDERS 1,967,843

DISPLAY APPARATUS I Filed Sept. 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR faul JSancZers wrem ATTORNEYS Patented July 24, 1934 OFFIZCE DISPLAY. APPARATUS,

Paul J. Sanders,

Maplewood, N. J.

Application. September 23, 1933, Serial No, 690,647

application, Serial No- 607,953, filed April '28;v 1932, which includesa. driven flexiblev support .upon

5.6 which a-plurality ofa'displaypanels are swingably mountedzto. .ba'moved byand with saidssupport around :a guideover which the supportzis trained and; wherein. the. panels are successively. displayed as they move. aroundithe guide.

:. The.- presentinventionis. directedto an. im-

proved meanswhich cooperates with each panel as..it. approaches during and as it recedes from aidisplay. position so. as .to..-effect the. relative swinging. of :the panels -.int.o display. position, to

;.support each; panel while. being-. displayed, and .to lower each panel .from'; the display, position to a dependent. position, silently and; without subjecting the-panel :toshocks and jars.

The invention further contemplates. a. flexibleconveyor upon which a seriesof 1- display. panels are pivotally mounted jfOI" movement therewith around jan-arcuate supportingguide together with 1 arms having; pivoted carriers for successively;

swinging the display panels on their pivotal ,Vconnection with reference to-the flexible conveyor so-asto elevate the same toadisplay position andqtosubsequently swing andlower the same from such display. position to a dependingposition.-

Theinventionfurther comprehends a display the character indicated which-iscomparatively,-

simple and not undulycomplicated -in its construction. and mode of operation and'which', may be economically produced and-is highly; efficientfor its intended purpose.

Withthese. and other objects; inview; the invention also resides-in certain'novelfeatures and arrangement: of 'partswhich shall bemore fully described; and claimed-hereinafter.-

In the. drawings the. upper portion of the;-display'-apparatus ;.con, structed in accordance. with the invention.

Fig; 2. is. an enlarged vertical sectional .view'. therethroughtaken approximately. on .the line.

indicated at 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is asimilar fragmentary viewyillustrating in full and broken. lines :the. relative. positions of the; arms. .andxlisplay .panels...

Fig. 1" is a .fragmentaryperspective viewyof I Fig.2. 4 isza. perspective. .viewof .aipanel riframe.

constructed in accordance with one form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is avertical sectional'viewtherethrough.

Fig. 6 :is a perspective view of another form of frame and mounting therefor.

Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of. amodified form of the arm structure.

Referring to. the drawingsby characters of reference, A'designates adisplayframe or cabinet having asuitable base B which frame or cabinet houses a series of display. panels .C and the operating mechanism indicated'generally by the. reference. character D .which functionsto move.

which in thepresent disclosure are. shown-as.

pairs of 1 sprockets -15;and;16' secured upon a. pair of: verticallyv spaced horizontally; disposed. rotatable shafts-17 and 18; whichshafts are jourfnaled in the opposite, end wal1s19 and 20 of the frame or cabinetAa As. illustrated, the flexible carrier 13:- consistsof a. pair of appropriately.

spaced endlesssprocket ch'ains21 .trained around the. pairs .of sprocketsl5and 16; one of which pairsofjsprock'ets. constitutes combined traction and guidexmeans. The, shaft 17. is provided with a crank-handle- 22,-secured to an end which projects from the cabinetto. afford means for manually turning said shaft andits. sprockets 15;

The display: panels C; when independent po-..

sition,. are disposedin overlapping relation and are; so spaced upon the sprocket chains 21 that when-.one of'said display panels is being swungon its pivotal connection with the sprocket chains from the upstanding display position tov a dependent retreating position, the next succeeding display panel is being; swung upwardly on.its

pivotal connection from itsv dependent displayv position into. the upstanding display position.

The means for swinging. adisplayrpanelinto and .out of the upstanding displayposition, con-. sists of a carrier bar 23 located within and projectingfrom the open end of an actuating arm 24 secured-upon the shaft -17and within which arm the said carrier bar 23 ispivoted on a fulcrum pin 25 for limited swinging movement of its projecting end, which end is provided with a lateral blade-26. The movement of the arm 24 with'th'e shaft '1'7is intimed relation with the movement of the-display panels C and the sprocket chains 21 so that, when the arm 24-is being lifted, the lateral blade 26 will engage beneath a projecting pin 27 secured to a side edge of the panel to swing the same on its pivotal connection and with reference to the sprocket chains 21 to the upstanding display position. As the panel approaches the horizontal position or reaches a point which is approximately 90 from the pendent position, the pin 27 will move into a detent 1 slot 28 in the free end of a laterally offset finger 29 secured upon the arm 24 to thus couple the panel to the arm 24 during the final stage of its approach to the upstanding display position, while in the said display position and during its initial stage of its movement from the display position. When the arm 24 with the carrier bar 23 is moved past upper dead center, the carrier bar 23 will swing, by gravity, upon its fulcrum pin 25 to one side of the detent slot so as to be in a position to underlie the pin 2'7 as it moves out of the detent slot 28 and thereby support the panel during approximately the last 90 of its downward movement as the arm 24 descends.

The relative movements of the arm 24 and the panel pin 27, which causes the pin to engage with the detent slot 28, are due to the combined trans-- latory and pivotal movements of the pin while the outer portion of the arm is traveling in a fixed arcuate path. Simultaneously, with the downward movement of said display panel from its upstanding display position, the next succeeding panel to be displayed is moved by the sprocket chain 21 into a position where its pin 27 is engaged by a blade 26 of a carrier bar 23 pivoted on an oppositely disposed arm 24 so that said panel is in turn swung on its pivotal connection while moving with the sprocket chains thereby bringing it to the upstanding display position in the manner described for the previous panel.

The display panel which bears the matter to be displayed may be of any desired type, but in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, it includes a rectangular frame 30 having spaced front and rear walls 31 and 32, which are joined along three of their outer edges by a marginal wall 33 and which front and rear walls are cut away to provide aligned display openings 34. This construction provides a channel 35 between the said walls to receive and hold a pair of cards 36 bearing or inscribed with the matter to be displayed, which cards are inserted and removed through the open edge 3'? of the panel frame. In order to hold the cards in position within the frame, and to prevent accidental'or unintentional displacement thereof, the frame 30 is provided with a rod 38 extending through the channel 35 on one side of the frame adjacent to and in the path of the open edge 37 but spaced from the front and rear walls a suflicient distance to provide a clearance to admit of the insertion and removal of the cards and the disposal of the same on opposite sides of the rod 38. This construction allows for the ready insertion and removal of the cards. The terminals 39 of the rod 38 protrude from'the sides of the panel 'frame and constitute trunnions which engage in openings 40 in the pintles of the sprocket chains.

The display panels C may be pivotally mounted'in U-shaped yokes 41 on trunnions 42 secured to the side edges of each of the panel frames at the center thereof to allow turning of the panel frame on the trunnions so as to exhibit either face of the panel. As'illustrated, in Fig. 6,'the yoke 41 is provided with outwardly projecting pins 43 which pins engage in the openings 40 in the pintles of the sprocket chains to pivotally connect the display panels C with the sprocket chains when this form of mounting is employed. The terminal portion 44 of the yoke 41 is bent laterally providing a projection which is engaged by the carrier bar 23 and its arm 24 when the panel is swung on its pivotal axis into and out of upstanding display position.

In place of the tubular arm 24, a flat bar 45, as illustrated in Fig. 7, may be employed which bar is secured on the shaft 17 and provides a pair of diametrically disposed actuating arms 46 each of which has a detent slot 47 in its outer end, and pivoted to each of said arms on fulcrum pins 48 are carrier bars 49 which bars project beyond the end of their respective arms 46 and are provided each with a lateral blade 50 for engagement with the projecting pin 27 of the frame 30 or with the terminal portion 44 of the yoke 41 when the panel frame is mounted for turning movement in the said yoke. The bars 49 have limited swinging movement on their pivotal connection with the arms 46 respectively between a pair of pins 51 secured to eacharm which pinsform stops for limiting the movement thereof.

From the foregoing it' is apparent that there is provided a display apparatus which successively moves a series of display panels into andout of display postions in one of which display positions the panels are disposed in dependent relation which exposes to view one face of each ofthe panels, and in the other display position, the

conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a display panel pivotally suspended upon said conveyor, an

arm secured to said rotary support and a bar pivoted to said arm, said bar moving with said support in timed relation with said conveyor so as to engage and swing the panel on its pivot from a depending position upwardly towards an upstanding display position and to subsequently engage said panel after it has passed through the upstanding display position and to lower said panel gradually as it swings downwardly on its pivot to a depending position, while moving with the conveyor, and said arm moving in timed relation with the movement of said panel so" as to engage with the same during its upward movement and to support the same through its upstanding display position and to subsequently en-' gage said panel after it has passed through theupstanding display position to lower said panel gradually as it swings downwardly on its pivot to a depending position while moving with the conveyor and said arm moving in timed relationwith the movement of said panel so as to engage with the same during its upward movement and -to support the same throughout its upstanding display position.

3. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a display panel carrier pivotally suspended therefrom, said panel carrier having a projection, an arm secured 1 110, 1. In a display device, the combination of a 1 to said rotary support, said arm having a detent slot in its free end, and a bar pivoted to said arm for limited swinging movementoi its outer end with respect thereto, an offset. portion at the outer end of said bar projecting beyond the free end of said arm, said arm and bar moving with said rotary support in timed relation with said conveyor so to position the offset portion of said bar beneath the said projection as the panel car rier moves upwardly with saidconveyor whereby the offset portion engages with said projection and swings the panel carrier on its pivot, from a depending position, upwardly towards an up-- standingdisplay position, for engagement of the projection within the detent slot of the arm, and for movement of the panel carrier into and t rough said upstanding display position, and said bar moving on its pivot with relation to said arm as it passes upper dead center into a position underlying the said projection, as the projection recedes from said slot, so as to lower the panel carrier gradually as it swings rearwardiy on its pivot to a depending position.

din a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a display panel carrier pivotally suspended therefrom, said panel carrier having a lateral projection, an arm mounted for rotary movement, said having a detent slot in its free end, and a bar pivoted to said-arm for limited swinging movement of its free end with respect thereto, said arm and bar moving in timed relation with said conveyor so as to position the free end of the bar beneath said projection as the panel carrier moves upwardly with said conveyor, so as to engage and swing the panel carrier on its pivot, from a depending position, upwardly towards an upstanding display position for engagement of the projection within the detent slot of the arm for f movement or said panel carrier into and through said upstanding display position, and said bar moving on its pivot with relation to said arm as it passes under dead center into a position underlying the said projection as the projection recedes from said slot, so as to lower the panel carrier gradually as it swings rearwardly on its pivot to a depending position.

5. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a display panel pivotally suspended therefrom, said panel having a lateral projection, an arm secured to said rotary support, said arm having a detent slot in its free and a bar pivoted to said arm for limited swinging movement of its free end with respect thereto, said arm and bar moving with said rotary support in timed relation with said conveyor so as to position the free end of said bar beneath said projection as the panel moves upwardly with said conveyor whereby the free end of said engages with the projection to swing the panel on its pivot, from a depending position, upwardly towards an upstanding display position for engagement of the projec,

tion within the detent slot of said arm and moveinentof said panel into and through said ups;anding display position, and said bar moving on its pivot with relation to said arm as it passes upper dead center into a position underlying said projection. as the projection recedes from said slot with the movement of the panel with the conveyor from upstanding display position, so as to lower the panel gradually as it swings rearwardly on its pivot to a depending position.

6. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a display panel pivotally suspended therefrom, said panel having a lateral projection, an arm secured to said rotary support, said arm having a vdetent slot in its free end, and a bar pivoted to said arm for limited swinging movement of its free end with respect thereto, said arm and bar moving with said rotary support in timed relationwith said conveyor so as to position the free end or". said bar beneath said projection as the panel moves upwardly to said conveyor whereby the free end of said bar engages with the projection and swings the panel on its pivot, from a depending position, upwardly towards an upstanding display position for engagement of the projection within the detent slot of said arm, for movement of said panel into and through said upstanding dispiay position and said bar movin on its pivot with relation to said arm so as to pass from a position on one side of said slot-to a position on the other side of said slot, to underlie the said projection as the projection recedes from said slot with the movement of the panel from upstanding display position, so as to lower the panel gradually as it swings rearwardly on its pivot to a depending position.

'7. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a display panel carrier pivcta-lly suspended therefrom, said panel carrier having a projection, and an arm secured to said rotary support, said arm having a detent slot in its free end, a bar pivoted to said arm for limited swinging movement of its free end with respect thereto, an offset portion at the outer end of said bar projecting beyond the free end of said arm, said arm and bar moving with said rotary support in timed relation with said conveyor so to position the ofiset portion of said bar beneath the said projection as the panel carrier moves upwardly with said conveyor whereby the offset portion engages with said project'on and swings the panel carrier on its pivot, from a depending position, upwardly towards an upstanding display position, for engagement of the projection within the detent slot of the arm and movement of said panel carrier into and through said upstanding display position, and said bar moving on its pivot with relation to said arm so that the offset position of said bar passes from a position on one side of said slot, to, a position on the other side thereof, to underlie the said projection as the projection recedes from said slot, so as to lower the panel carrier gradually as it swings rearwardly on its pivot to a depending position. I

8. in a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a display panel having a projection, an arm secured to said rotary support, said arm having a detent slot in its free end and a bar pivoted to said arm for lim- I ited swinging movement of its outer end with respect thereto, an ofiset portion at the outer end of said bar projecting beyond the free end of said arm, said arm and bar moving with said rotary support in timed relation with said conveyor so as to position the oiiset portion of said bar beneath said projection as the panel moves upwardly with said conveyor whereby th ofiset portion engages with said projection and swings the panel on its pivot, from a depending posi- 1' tion, upwardly towards an upstanding display position, for engagement of the projection'within the detent slot of the arm, and movement of said panel into and through said upstanding display position, and said bar moving on its pivot with ivotally suspended therefrom, said panel relation to said arm as it passes upper dead center into a position underlying the said projection as the projection recedes from said slot, so as to lower the panel gradually as it swings rearwardly on its pivot to a depending position.

9. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a display panel pivotally suspended therefrom, said display panel having a lateral projection, an arm mounted for rotary movement, said arm having a detent slot in its free end, and a bar pivoted to said arm for limited swinging movement of its free end with respect thereto, said arm and bar moving in timed relation with said conveyor so as to position the free end of the bar beneath said projection as the panel moves upwardly with said conveyor, so as to engage and swing the panel on its pivot, from a depending position, upwardly towards an upstanding display position, for engagement of the projection within the detent slot of the arm for movement of said panel into and through said upstanding display position and said bar moving on its pivot with relation to said arm as it passes upper dead center into a position underlying the said projection as the projection recedes from said slot, so as to lower the panel gradually as it swings rearwardly on its pivot to a depending position.

10. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a series of display devices pivotally suspended therefrom, each of said devices having a projection, and means coacting with said projections and moved in timed relation with the conveyor, for successively swinging the display devices about their pivotal axes from a depending position to an upstanding position, and for controlling the downward movement of said devices about their pivotal axes, said means including an arm secured to and movable with said rotary support and a bar pivoted at one end to said arm and having a limited swinging movement with relation thereto, said bar engaging with the projection of a panel to swing said panel on its pivot upwardly with relation to the conveyor and to deliver the same to said arm for movement into and out of a display position, and said bar moving with relation to said arm as the arm passes upper dead center to underlie said projection as the panel descends to control the downward movement of the panel about its pivot.

11. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a series of display devices pivotally suspended therefrom and means coacting with said display devices and moving in timed relation with the conveyor for successively swinging the display devices about their pivotal axes from a depending position to an upstanding display position and for controlling the downward movement of said display devices about their pivotal axes, said means including an arm secured to and movable with said rotary support and a bar pivoted at one end to said arm and having a limited swinging movement with relation thereto, said bar engaging with a display panel to successively swing the same on its pivot upwardly with relation to the conveyor.

to deliver the same to said arm for movement into and out of upstanding display position, and said bar moving with relation to said arm as the arm passes upper dead center into a position beneath the display panel as the panel descends to control the downward movement of the display panel about its pivot.

12. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a series of display devices pivotally suspended therefrom and means coacting with said display devices and moved in timed relation with the conveyor, for successively swinging the display devices about their pivotal axes, from a depending position, to an upstanding position, and for controlling the downward movement of said devices about'their pivotal axes, said means including a plurality of arms secured to and movable with said rotary support, and a plurality of bars each pivoted at one end to said arms respectively, and having a limited swinging movement with relation thereto, adjacent bars successively engaging adjacent display devices to swing the same on their axes respectively upwardly with relation to the conveyor, and to deliver the same into engagement with said arms respectively for moving the display devices into and out of upstanding display position and said bars moving with relation to said arms respectively as the arms pass upper ead center whereby adjacent bars successively engage beneath adjacent display devices as the same descend to control the downward movement of the same, about their pivotal axes.

13. A display device, including in combination, a display panel, a conveyor therefor to which the panel is pivoted, an arcuate guide around which the conveyor is trained, a driven rotary arm and an element carried by the arm for limited swinging movement with respect thereto, said arm and element being swingable in an arcuate path con-. centric to the guide, said element being adapted to be initially engaged with the display panel to swing the panel on its pivot from a depending position upwardly with reference to the conveyor, and means on the arm with which the panel is coupled and by which it is swung on its pivot through an upstanding display position.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally suspended upon said conveyor and means carried by and movable in a circular path concentric with said support for successively swinging said display panels from a depending position to an upstanding display position.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a display panel pivotally suspended upon said conveyor, a hollow arm secured to said rotary support and a bar pivoted within said hollow arm and with its free end projecting through the open end of said arm, said bar moving with said support in timed relation with said conveyor so as to engage and swing the panel on its pivot, from a depending position upwardly towards an upstanding display position to subsequently engage said panel after it has passed through the upstanding display position and to lower said panel gradually as it swings downwardly on its pivot to a depending position while moving with the conveyor and said hollow arrn moving in timed relation with the movement of said panel and so constructed as to engage with the same during its upward movement and to support the same through its upstanding display position.

PAUL J. SANDERS. 

